Sock drier



April 1940- w. M. CISSELL l socx DRIER Filed Aug. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 1.9 I bif II Ygiam M 618301] ATTORNEY pmtdm'm o 2,197,788

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wuum M. 21 3, 1:12am, Ky. APDHOIMM 12, 1938, Serial N0. 22!,36

5 Claims. (CI. 34-12) My inventionrelates to drying machines for progressively manually moved through a drying socks, hosiery and the like, and has particular chamber, and in which each form, after having reference to improvements in the construction completed its movement through the drying and operation of machines in which the socks chamber, is temporarily manually withdrawn 5 are placed upon forms and subjected to a heated from the chamber, only while the dry sock is g drying chamber, whereby evaporation of moisbeing removed and replaced with a wet sock. ture from the socks is thoroughly efiected, with My invention further comprehends the associaincidental shaping of the socks before they are tion of means with the drying chamber for ef'- removed from the forms. fecting the passage and circulation of hot, air

Heretofore, various types and combinations of therethrough, and the escape of moist'air there- 10 machines have been employed for drying socks from; and, finally, the cooperative assemblage and the like on forms, but these have been exof parts for carrying out the"'objects. I have tremely complicated both in construction and enumerated, and the other objects that will beoperation. Accordingly, the prior machines are come apparent as the accompanying description prohibitively expensive both from the standpoint is read in connection with the accompanying 16 of capital investment and operating cost. drawings illustrating one preferred embodiment Therefore, the primary object of my invention of my invention, in which:

is to provide a new and novel machine of the Figure 1 is a plan view of my drying machine;

typified character that is labor saving and eco- Figure 2 is a partial sectional view taken along 20 nomical in use, low in initial investment, suclines 2-2 of Figure 4 to show the arrangement 20 cessful in operation for the purpose in view, and of the sock forms 8 on the rotating table I3; one that is extremely simple to construct and Figure 3 is an elevational view of my drying install. machine, showing the construction and arrange- Another object of my invention is to provide ment of the openings 9 and 9a, which provide a machine in which the operator can easily withaccess for the operator to the sock forms in the 2-5 draw a sock form from the drying chamber, redrying chamber; move the dried sock, replace same with a wet Figure 4 is a partial elevational sectional view sock, return the form with the wet sock to the taken along the vertical centerline of the madrying chamber, and then progressively advance chine to show the construction and relation of the said form through. the drying chamber as heating coils l5, circulating fan I'I, sock forms 8 U each successive form is manually ,advanced by and exhaust conduit 3;

the operator to withdrawal position and manipu- Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing lated in the aforesaid manner. the manner in which the sock forms 8 are with- A further object of my invention is to prodrawn from the drying chamber; vide for the withdrawal and manual advance- Figure 6 is an enlarged detail showing the ment of the forms in such a manner as to elimconstruction of the pivotal mounting for the inate entirely any undesirable covers or doors sock form; for the opening providing access for the oper- Figure 7 is an enlarged partial sectional view ator to the forms in the drying chamber. taken along lines I'| of Figure 6 to show the 40 A still further object of my-invention resides construction and relation between the pivot pin 40 in the construction and arrangement of the openl2, stop pin Ill and sock form 8; and ing providing access for the operator to the Figure 8 is an enlarged plan view of a portion forms in the drying chamber so as to enable the of the heating coils l5 showing the arrangement operator to have continuous and uninterrupted of radiating fins lid.

5 access to the forms in the drying chamber with- Referring to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings,

out affecting continuous circulation of the heated it will be observed that my drier comprises a air within the drying chamber. cylindrical enclosure having a sheet metal wall A further object of my invention resides in member i and top member 2. A suitable exthe construction and arrangement of the parts haust conduit 3 is secured to the top member 2,

of my drying machine, so that the machine as which conduit is provided with a damper 4 for 50 a whole has a large capacity for drying socks, controlling the flow of moist air from the enwithout requiring a large amount of floor space. closure. In Figures 1 and 3, it will be observed With the foregoing and other objects in view, that the damper 4 is pivotally supported in conmy invention comprehends a machine in which duit 3 by a shaft 41), and is actuated by a suitable a plurality of sock forms are successively and handle 40. In Figure 1 the damper 4 isillus- 55 ill) trated in its closed position, and, in Figure 3, the dot-dash lines la illustrate the open position for theidamper.

Referring now to Figure 4, it will be observed that the cylindrical enclosure is supported by a base member IS. The base member I9 is fashioned with cross connecting ribs, which provide a suitable support for motor l8, and further provide suflicient intake openings for conducting relatively dry air into the enclosure.

Motor I8 is employed to actuate a fan l1, which fan circulates dry air from the intake openings over heating elements l5 into the upper portion of the enclosure, which portion of the enclosure functions as a drying chamber.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the heating elements I5 consist of spirally-wound heating coils, which coils are provided with radiating fins 15a as illustrated in Figure 8. The heating coils are connected to a suitable steam or hot water line via respective inlet and outlet conduits l6. While I have particularly illustrated steam heating coils, it is to be understood that many other suitable heating elements may be substituted therefor, such as electric space heaters or fuel heated hot-plates, etc.

Directly above the heating elements 15, I have provided a lower bearing member N, which bearing member has a central bearing for shaft 6 supported by cross connected ribs, which ribs are, in turn, secured to the wall of the cylindrical enclosure by rivets or bolts Ida.

At the upper end of the cylindrical enclosure I have also provided a similar bearing member 5, which upper bearing member has a central hearing for shaft 5 supported by similar cross connected ribs, which ribs are, in turn, secured to the wall of the cylindrical enclosure by rivets or bolts.

It will be obvious that the construction of the cross connecting ribs supporting the upper and lower bearings permits a free and uninterrupted circulation of heated air within the upper portion of the enclosure.

A shaft 6 is journaled in the aforesaid upper and lower bearings; a thrust bearing 1 being secured to the shaft 6 in operative relation with the upper bearing member.

Adjacent the lower bearing a rotatable table I3 is secured to shaft 6 as particularly illustrated in Figure 2, the table 53 is constructed to allow a free and uninterrupted circulation of heated air into the upper portion of the enclosure.

With further reference to Figure 2, it will be observed that table :3 is provided with a plurality of radially arranged form supports H--I i, which supports are arranged in pairs as illustrated in Figure 6.

Figures 4 through 'I show the preferred construction of my sock or hosiery drying form. As illustrated, the form consists of a wire frame 8 bent to the required shape, and secured to a form base 8b.

Between each pair of form supports ll-ll shown in Figure 2, a sock drying form 8 is pivotally mounted by a pin H, as illustrated in Figures 4 through '7.

Normally each sock form 8 is within the enclosure, and assumes the vertical position shown in Figure 4. With the forms in this position, the table i3 is freely rotatable.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be observed that I have provided a relatively narrow verticalslot 9 in the periphery of the cylindrical enclosure in alignment with the vertical position of the sock drying forms. Further inspection will also reveal that I have also provided a relatively narrow horizontal slot 9a, projecting from and to one side of the vertical slot 9.

The construction and arrangement of these slots in terms of my sock drying form constitutes one of the salient features of my invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the vertical slot 9 has a length and width sufllcient only to allow withdrawal of one sock drying form from the drying chamber at a time, which length and width provides an opening having only a negligible effect on the circulation of heated air within the drying chamber.

Similarly, the horizontal slot So has a width suflicient to allow an operator to insert one or two fingers into the drying chamber to manually advance a form to withdrawal position'in alignment with slot 9, and a length suflicient only to allow the advancement of preferably a single form at a time.

In Figure 3, a drying form 8 is illustrated in alignment with vertical slot 9, and, in Figure 5, the form is illustrated in its withdrawn position, which is accomplished by tilting the form outwardly about its pivotal axis I2.

When the form is thus tilted outwardly, a pin it] serves to limit the outward angular movement of the drying form, as particularly shown in Figthe next successive form through slot 9a, and

advances the successive form into alignment with the vertical slot 9, whereupon the aforesaid operation is repeated.

Thus, as each dry sock is advanced and replaced with a wet sock, the wet socks are progressively advanced by rotation of table l3 within the drying chamber.

Therefore, I have provided my drying machine with a suficient number of drying forms, so that with the fastest operator, a wet sock will be dried before completing its full movement of one revolution within the drying chamber.

Thus, it will be apparent that my invention resides in the production of a simple and efficient machine for successively and progressively advancing a wet article within a drying chamber, as governed entirely by the rate in which an operator can remove a dry article and replace same with a wet article, as the time and work required of the operator to'rotate the form carrying table is negligible in terms of the aforesaid replacing operation. Therefore, my invention further resides in the construction of a machine in which the articles to be dried are subjected to continuous treatment, and in which the drying form is withdrawn from the drying chamber, only while and for the time required to replace the dry article with a wet article.

In the foregoing description, it is believed that the sequence of operations associated in the present invention, together with the novel feature of construction have been sufficiently expressed so that the advantages will be self evident. Therefore, I desire to point out that the particular embodiment described is only representative of one of the many forms in which these operations and constructions may be incorporated into an efiicient and practicable machine. Therefore, the right is accordingly reserved to make all such reasonable changes and variations, which fairly. lie withinthe scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drying machine including a stationary enclosure within which warm air is circulated for drying wet articles presented therein; a table I rotatably mounted within the said enclosure; and a plurality of article carrying forms pivotally mounted on the said table for tilting radially outwardly thereof; the said enclosure having an L shaped opening in the periphery thereof substantially in alignment with the path of travel of the said article carrying forms, in which the vertical portion of the said opening is constructed and arranged to form. a passageway through which each form is independently withdrawn by an operator, so that the operator can remove the dried article from the form, re-clothe the form with a wet article, and then return the reclothed form through the said vertical portion into the enclosure, and in which the horizontal portion of the said opening is constructed and arranged to provide an auxiliary passageway through which the operator engages each successive form for advancing the same into withdrawal alignment with the vertical portion of the said opening, so that each successive form is successively manipulated in the aforesaid manner.

2. In a drying machine including a stationary enclosure having a vertical slot in the periphery thereof to provide-for the ingress and egress of wet articles dried within the enclosure; a table movably mounted within the said enclosure; and a plurality of article carrying forms movably mounted on the said table for ingress and egress through the said slot; the said vertical enclosure also having a horizontal slot in the periphery thereof communicating with the said vertical slot, and having a length substantially equal to the distance between successive forms, so that the operator can engage each successive form and manually advance the same into withdrawal alignment with the said vertical slot. I

3. In a drying machine including a stationary enclosure; means for heating the said enclosure; and a movable structure within the enclosure having a plurality of movable article carrying forms thereon; the said enclosure having an elongated slot in the periphery thereof through which each form is independently withdrawn out of the enclosure by an operator for removing the dried article from the form and re-clothing the said form with a wet article, and then returning the re-clothed form through the said elongated slot into the enclosure; the said enclosure also having a horizontal slot being substantially equal to the distance in the periphery thereof substantially adjacent the ,said 'movable structure, the length of the said horizontal slot be-.

tween successive forms, so that the operator can engage the movable structure and advance successively each form into alignment into the said vertical slot for manipulation in the aforesaid manner.

4. A drying machine having, in combination, a rotatable table; a plurality of articles carrying forms pivotally mounted on the said table for tilting radially outwardly thereof; a casing enclosing the said forms and table having a vertical slot in the periphery thereof through which each form is independently withdrawn by an operator for unclothing and ire-clothing and then returned, the said casing also having a horizontal slot therein substantially adjacent the said vertical slot, the length of the said horizontal slot being substantially equal to the distance between successive forms, so that the operator can engage each successive form and advance the same into withdrawal alignment with the said vertical slot; and means for circulating warm air within said enclosure.

5.'In a drying machine having, in combinae tion, a drying chamber having an elongated slot in the periphery thereof; and a plurality of article carrying forms movably mounted within the said chamber for successive movement into alignment with the said slot, each form also constructed and arranged for movement outwardly through the said slot into an accessible unclothing and re-clothing position, and inwardly through the said slot into a drying position, when each said form is in alignment with the said slot; the said chamber also having a horizontal slot in the periphery thereof substantially adjacent the said elongated slot, and having a length substantially equal to the distance between successive forms, so that each successive form is engaged by an operator for moving each WILLIAM M. CISSEIL. 

